A pharmacist at Ralph's, Stan Berdinka, is taking a stand against the Ralph's Thriftway's inappropriate and backward emergency contraception policy. On Monday and Tuesday of this week, three women (including me) went into Ralph's Thriftway pharmacy with prescriptions for Plan B, and not unexpectedly, they could not be filled. What was surprising, however, was the response we got from pharmacist Stan Berdinka. He told one woman that he considered the Stormans policy regarding emergency contraception "ridiculous," as he had many other forms of birth control containing the same ingredients as Plan B, lining his shelves. When I went in yesterday, he apologized for not being able to fill my prescription, saying he felt "terribly embarrassed." "They didn't consult me about this policy," he said. "So I guess this isn't a pharmacist refusal?" I asked him. "No, this is the owner's decision," he said. He went on to tell me that he had phoned the Board of Pharmacy on Monday, and they were "very concerned" about what is going on at Ralph's. I am sure they will continue to be concerned when we file our formal complaints with the Department of Health next week. My new hero Stan asked me if I was one of the organizers, I said yes, and he then told me we might see him on the picket line on Wednesday. I hope we do. Stan said all this knowing there was a video camera rolling. I have a great deal of respect for his willingness to put his professionalism above his job security. The Stormans made a good decision when they hired Stan, but a big mistake when they failed to consult him before setting their policy. I hope we see Stan out there holding a sign today! (Picketing begins at 5 p.m. and continues until 7.)

After eleven years as a band, Sleater-Kinney have decided to go on indefinite hiatus. The upcoming summer shows will be our last. As of now, there are no plans for future tours or recordings. We feel lucky to have had the support of many wonderful people over the years. We want to thank everyone who has worked with us, written kind words about us, performed with us, and inspired us.

But mostly we want to extend our gratitude to our amazing fans. You have been a part of our story from the beginning. We could not have made our music without your enthusiasm, passion, and loyalty. It is you who have made the entire journey worthwhile.

OLYMPIA - A proposal to widen a two-lane stretch of a west-side artery has been affirmed, one year after some officials questioned whether it was "too much pavement too soon."

The City Council on Tuesday night approved a $6.6 million plan to add two more vehicle lanes to Harrison Avenue between Yauger Way and Kaiser Road. Left-turn lanes, bike lanes, sidewalks and landscaping are included.

The decision comes amid warnings from traffic engineers and an independent consultant of growing congestion that no traffic signal or roundabout will cure. More cars are on the way, especially with 840 new homes proposed off the corridor and 1,470 in the application stage.

The neo-Nazi group, National Socialist Movement, (NSM) isplanning a major rally where they are inviting whitesupremacists from many States to Olympia. Theirannounced rally of hatred is planned for this comingMonday, July 3rd from 2 to 4 P.M. at the steps of theLegislative Bldg at the State Capitol. We hope tosurround them on Monday afternoon and turn our backson them and turn their rally into one for racial,economic and social justice, and to non-violently makeit clear that Nazis are not welcome in Olympia oranywhere. Many of us will be dressed as clowns.

Today was the National Day of Action to Stand Up with Lt. Ehren Watada. It is said that events were held around the country to show support for the first commissioned officer to openly refuse orders to deploy to Iraq. I haven't actually read the news yet on how the rest of the country did.

The carpool operation from Olympia to Ft. Lewis was massive. 15 minutes before we were set to leave, we already had dozens of people waiting for rides, with only one car going. Before long, another car showed up, and another, and two more, and more, and more. Olympia came out in force.

The vigil was on the bridge at Exit 119, over I-5. This was not the notoriously renamed "Freedom Bridge." We arrived at 3:30, a half hour before the scheduled starting time, and the demonstration was already in full swing. Several of our people were on the bridge holding signs, a mixture of "Resist illegal war" and "No Iraq war."

Below is the final draft. I now need to make a petition sheet. I was noticing that the estate tax petition going around has a graphic of a tombstone. People these days seem more inclined to attempt comprehending pictures more than words. Is there an Olyblogger savvy enough to make a graphic of some individual people underscored by "John Q. Public" standing next to a giant super person with that Walmart happy face for a head? Any other suggestions? I now have full authorization to start gathering signatures, so it needs to be this week. Thanks for any help you might be able to offer.

Ballot TitleInitiative Measure No. 360 concerns the definition of the term “person” in state law.

This measure would amend the statutory definition of “person” to exclude corporations or companies, and provide that references in state laws to persons shall apply to individual human beings or human communities only. Should this measure be enacted into law? Yes [ ] No [ ]

Ballot Measure SummaryThis measure would enact a new statute reading, “Washington state laws, rules, and protections concerning a person, persons, or people shall be applicable to an individual human being or a human community only.” It would also amend the statutory definition of the term “person” to read, “The term ‘person’ may be construed to include the United States, this state, or any state or territory, or non-profit affinity group, but never a corporation or company.”

I don't know why city administrative meetings have a reputation of being not worth attending. Granted, I've only gone to a few, but every one has been an emboldening, radicalizing experience.

The first such meeting was a Port Commissioners' meeting in November 2004. This was less than a week after the very first person tore the very first hole in the fence in protest of the wartime military shipments that had restarted earlier that year. When the hole was torn in the fence, the USS Cape Intrepid pulled up moorings and took off, leaving half of its cargo there on the port. We had forced the ship to leave early. Official statements issued by the port refused to acknowledge any such pre-emptive departure had happened.

So, we have been attempting to plaster the town with flyers. I, Myself, put up over 40 yesterday downtown... and ALL of them have been taken down. Other folks have been experiencing the same phenomenon. So, what do we do? Keep flyering until we run out or we tire them out? Or, find another way? Leave flyers on cars, canvas parking lots?

If you'd like to contribute, please register for an account, then email Thad at curtzt@nuprometheus.com to say you'd like to start posting. Here is a list of local news beats that need to be covered. You can post your news as personal blog entries, and use the publications settings at the bottom of the edit screen to promote some to the front page if you want to, or just write stories and post events there directly. All members of OlyBlog agree to abide by our comment and fair use policies. If you are frustrated about something said in a comment thread, go here.